Conservation Comment: Join the Reservists

Doing something for the natural world can include planting trees. Photo / Getty Images

It is possible that politicians around the world will soon be enlightened enough to act together to solve the world's climate and ecological crises, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Real progress comes when enough people change their thinking and behaviour. The political leaders generally follow.

Last week's announcements from Government of our first emissions reduction plan were a step in the right direction. They followed a long but accelerating process of awareness building, and gradual behavioural change.

Ardern and Shaw were empowered to announce positive, but still inadequate steps, because Kiwis know we must meet the global challenges with local actions.

It was heartening to see the consensus of all political parties, except Act, for the plan. Farming leaders joined urban groups in recognising we all need to participate in change. Given the interdependence of town and country, it is important to recognise each has different challenges. We need to copy the co-operation we see in ecosystems rather than snipe back and forth.

Much of the attention focused on replacing less efficient petrol vehicles with electric and hybrid-electric cars.

Transport is a major source of CO2 emissions and getting people out of cars is hard so switching the power source is important. Fossil fuel prices will help drive transition but it remains to be seen how much of a difference changing the fleet will make. It certainly would be good for us and the planet if we drove less.

The best section of the Government's emission reduction plan (Chapter four if you look it up online) acknowledged that the climate crisis is partly caused by the destruction of the world's remaining wilderness. In other words, the biodiversity crisis and the climate crisis have the same root cause; disrespecting Mother Nature and what she has done for us.

Even if you don't want to buy an electric car, or already have one, the best actions are in that intersection of repairing nature to restore the climatic balance. As the report puts it, "Our efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change align with our biodiversity objectives."

Native ecosystems remove and store carbon, increase our resilience to climate change impacts and support thriving biodiversity and wellbeing. There is also a real opportunity to use nature-based solutions to tackle the climate emergency and to design our response to the climate crisis in a way that protects, enhances and restores nature where possible.

There are plenty of opportunities locally. Many reserves already have volunteers meeting regularly to share the joys of doing something for the natural world that supports us. Gordon Park, Westmere Lake, Castlecliff Domain, Bason Reserve, Virginia Lake, and others readily come to mind. There is an energetic new group working hard in Hylton Park with the support of Rotary North. These groups welcome new volunteers. Check with the DoC or the district council for contacts.

The biodiversity jewel in the crown is Tarapuruhi/ Bushy Park ecosanctuary where the volunteers are outstanding. Great progress continues inside the predator-proof fence — the latest being the transfer in of beautiful little popokatea/ whitehead. All the rare and wonderful birds there rely on the rich lowland forest.

Please check out the Tree of the Year website and vote for our very own Ratanui, and if you want to join the reservists check out the Bushy Park website.